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A nice Friday morning in Evanston.
Above, Jim Johnson and his service dog, Segal, demonstrate the difficulties of reaching Evanston's Dog Beach in his motorized wheelchair. Johnson sees the situation as a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and serves on the city's ADA Advisory Committee. The city says it plans to make improvements. (Photo by Richard Kahan)
An independent investigation into Northwestern's athletic department recommended a series of reforms to improve how it handles allegations of bullying and other misconduct, including creating clear guidelines for athletic administrators to document some of the complaints and report them to department leaders. The report, released Thursday, was initiated in the wake of allegations of bullying on the football team that led to the firing of head coach Pat Fitzgerald. Several former players are suing Northwestern, and Fitzgerald is also suing over his firing.
Three months after the school board voted to “rethink” the role of sustainability coordinator for District 65, the district reversed course and announced it would retain the position and current coordinator Karen Bileta (above). “We are deeply grateful for her expertise and leadership,” Superintendent Angell Turner said in a news release Thursday. The original plan was to change the position to that of “science and sustainability education coordinator.” The financially strapped district said other cost cuts will allow it to keep Bileta in her administrative role and continue hiring for teaching positions.
Roundtable Weekend Summary
Friday: The Jewish Reconstructionist congregation will host a Pride Shabbat picnic and service with guest dabbler giver Bruce Kopf at 6 p.m. in Elliot Park on the lake.
Friday and Saturday: The city will host free Starlight Movie Screenings. “The Little Mermaid” (2023) will be shown at 6 p.m. Friday in Greenwood Beach. “Barbie” will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Ingraham Park. Food trucks will be available both nights.
Saturday: Starting at 10 a.m., family groups will cycle from the Robert Crown Community Center to the Downtown Evanston Farmers Market.
Saturday: A street sign honoring former School District 65 Superintendent Oliver Ruff will be unveiled during a noon ceremony on Gray Avenue between Dobson and Howard streets.
Check out our events calendar for other events.
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City workers have begun tagging recycling carts to let residents know if they have ineligible items in their carts (example above, right). “Not everything you put in your recycling cart needs to go in your recycling cart,” Solid Waste Coordinator Brian Zimmerman told Ward 2 residents on Thursday.
The plan is to build affordable housing on the former Clothes Pin Laundromat site purchased by the city, as well as an adjacent vacant lot on Howard Street. Economic Development Manager Paul Zalmezak told Ward 8 residents on Thursday that the project could include 40 missing three-bedroom units.
Chicago-area transit agencies (CTA, Metra, Pace and the Regional Transit Authority) plan to launch a unified day pass this fall that will be priced lower than buying CTA/Pace and Metra day passes separately.
Evanston's Julio Gelato (1301 Chicago Ave.) is expanding north, opening a new location at 1152 Central Ave. in Wilmette. The Record North Shore reports that the Julio's team plans to open the new location later this summer.
Public Square
Column: One person may have been given half an intellectual gift, while another person may have been given a glass filled to the brim, but it doesn't matter, writes Les Jacobson. “You may take advantage of every drop of the half glass, while your neighbor loses every ounce of his good fortune.” He urges us to drink up the glass we've been given and make the world a better place.
Bulletin Board
Stephanie Urchick has become the second woman to serve as president of Rotary International. Urchick, a member of the Rotary Club of McMurray, Pennsylvania, will take office 1 July to lead the 119-year-old member-only service organization.
The city announced its facilities and services schedule for July 4. All city and library buildings will be closed in observance of Independence Day, but city beaches will be open for swimming and the 311 call center will operate from 9 a.m. to at least 10 p.m.
Alex Harrison reports for Roundtable on local government, public safety, housing and homelessness, and town-college relations. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism… More articles by Alex Harrison
